Integrated Check Post to be inaugurated tomorrow

Union home minister P Chidambram, commerce minister Anand Sharma along with Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal will inaugurate on Friday the first Integrated Check Post (ICP) of the country on Attari-Wagah border, constructed at a cost of Rs 150 crore.

Pakistan commerce minister Makdom Amin Fahim, chief minister of Punjab (Pakistan) Shahbaz Sharif and many other dignitaries will be present on the occasion, stated border management secretary E Ahmed while briefing reporters about the programme.

The Attari ICP is located on the international border along the historic GT Road that was reconstructed in the 16th century by Afghan ruler Sher Shah Suri to connect Bengal with Peshawar. Since the Radcliffe line was drawn in 1947, this route has hardly been used for commerce and trade.

This check post would be the first one to be set up under the aegis of Land Port Authority of India which has been tasked to set up 13 Integrated Check Posts on the International Border of India with various countries.

This Integrated Check Post comes up on 131 acres of land which was acquired by the state government and handed over to Government of India for construction of ICP.

The check post has various machineries and equipment, including high level scanners costing Rs 30 crore, to facilitate customs and immigration clearance of passengers and goods.

The work on the project was to be completed by April 30, 2011 but was delayed. An official spokesman said Pakistani authorities had also set up a similar check post on their side of the border.